ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: prune · bear · perch · wax · coach · club · staff · wound

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. perch — the fish
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. staff — employees
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. club — for golf
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wound — an injury
  16. staff — employees
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. club — a group
  20. bear — the animal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. club — for dancing
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wound — an injury

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com